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Academy of Engineers
House Ashwhym, in its height of power, has always been known for its skilled engineers. Ashwhym leaders agreed that the best way to show a House's power was to invent the devices that other Houses didn't have, and so that is exactly what they did. It was members of House Ashwhym who first took gunpowder and executed it in a hand-held way, creating the first firearms of Zimildran. And just prior to the Barbarian Wars, House Ashwhym was creating their mechanized servants, clunky, unreliable golems who were the first generation of things to come. Today, with Ashwhym being one of the three founding Houses of the Covenant, engineering has become a large focus of a big part of the city's resources, leading to the establishment of a central workshop and library on all mechanical matters, called the Academy of Engineers. The Academy of Engineers is a place of great learning and study, and under the guidance of Grand Master Nikolai Ashwhym it has made a name for itself across all of Zimildran. While Harsonians are far and away the most common sight at the Academy, it does get its share of visitors from the other nations, people who wish to simply view the marvels created and recorded by the Academy's finest attendants. Engineering definitely shows its presence in Harsonia, and the city takes on a very unique look because of it. The architecture of the streets and buildings is old and solid, built on stone foundations, with expansive archways, climbing steps and rising towers. However, amidst these classic vistas stand and walk the great golems of the engineers in Harsonia, whether the golems are creations of the city officials or of private engineers who seek to perfect their craft. It is rare to go an entire day without seeing some form of engineering work in the great city. Joining The Academy Those who prefer to tinker with gears, steam, and metal rather than uphold the regal air of their lord’s court would likely throw themselves to the Academy of Engineers, and leave the Covenant for those more willing. The Academy takes students as young as ten years old, though some few exceptions have been made for even younger children who show particular skill with steamworks. The role of the Academy changes based on the city in which it is stationed. In Harsonia and Riverton, the Academy becomes the home for all students throughout most of the year, except for ten-day breaks around national holidays. In smaller communities, or areas where the Academy has less influence, students will visit for semesters, often of around two or three months in length, and return home to their families when such time has come to a close. Once students of the Academy have reached the end of their schooling and lessons, often around the age of 20, though it varies from one institution to another, they are given the choice to enlist as a professional engineer of the Academy, or to become a freelancer. Those enlisted with the Academy have access to the Academy’s coveted warehouses, libraries of information, and generally have better tools and resources than their freelancer counterparts. Freelancers, however, are not tied down by the limits of the Academy’s protocol. Upon enlisting, an engineer chooses their field, and the Academy will only provide information and resources for that field. The most common fields are utilities, military, naval, or mining. A freelancer, on the other hand, is freely able to explore any field they wish, though they must purchase their own tools and components, and learn through their own work, rather than read about processes and obtain schematics from one of the expansive libraries. As such, very few freelancers ever become famous for their work, as to achieve the same level of success as an enlisted engineer requires exorbitant amounts of money, time, and dedication.